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 IN THE NEWS |
 Paramount+ has renewed “Landman,” the Taylor Sheridan drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, for a second season. No surprise there – according to Paramount+, “Landman” had 35 million global streaming viewers for its premiere episode and was the most watched global premiere and finale of any series in Paramount+ history.
Netflix has renewed Tyler Perry drama “Beauty in Black” for a second season, less than a week after the second half of its inaugural season debuted. The show stars Taylor Polidore Williams as Kimmie, a stripper who gets mixed up with a family that runs a cosmetics empire and a trafficking scheme. |
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The number of active FAST channels in key markets including the U.S., U.K., Germany and Canada have nearly doubled since mid-2023 to more than 1,610 today, according to a report by Nielsen content data business arm Gracenote. The US is the leading FAST market with nearly three-fourths of the available FAST channels. Collectively, more than 178,000 unique programs, episodes and movies are available on FAST channels. Other findings include:
– More than 70% of FAST channel content has been produced since 2010.
– The top three FAST genres are sports, reality and news/commentary.
– Reality is the fastest-growing FAST channel genre with an increase of 626% from 19 to 138 channels since July 2024.
– The number of sports channels on FAST has more than doubled in the last year to 220 today.
– Entertainment is the most common FAST channel genre, with 303 channels. Gracenote defines the entertainment genre as TV programs that are presented in a non-story-based format and usually filmed live in a studio.
If you missed the first day of CTV Connect (sample comment: “We’ve been talking about driving real outcomes but no one was really doing it. Now outcomes is becoming a real thing”), there’s still time to register for today’s events. The day kicks off with a keynote with DeLu Jackson, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at ADT, and Bob Lord, President of Horizon Media Holdings. You can register here, or onsite at the Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 W. 18th Street in NYC. Hope to see you there! |
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DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES
Maximize Your Impact at the 2025 Upfronts
The 2025 Upfronts are the ultimate stage for brands to showcase innovation and leadership in media. With branding, newsletters, eblasts, and custom content, Cynopsis offers unmatched opportunities to connect with key players in the industry.
New this year: Virtual Upfront Summaries! Share your presentation highlights during a 7-min live to Cynopsis’ 85k audience.
Contact Amy Abbey at [email protected] or 410.979.0171 to secure your spot and make your mark! |
| PRODUCTION |
| Hulu has ordered new unscripted series “Overboard for Love” from Alex Cooper, creator, host and executive producer of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. The series follows a group of singles in search of love aboard a luxury yacht, but gaining access to the craft’s extravagant amenities isn’t so simple. “Overboard for Love” is produced by Cooper’s production company, Unwell Productions, Jeff Jenkins Productions in association with 3BMG, and Walt Disney Television Alternative. |
 Disney Jr. animated series “RoboGobo” will make its Disney+ debut on April 1. The comedy-action series for preschoolers – which includes celebrity voice cast Cynthia Erivo, Alan Cumming, Valerie Bertinelli, Ana Gasteyer, Susan Kelechi Watson, Dulé Hill, Taye Diggs, John Michael Higgins and Alison Pill – features five adopted pets who are given super-powered Robo-Suits by kid inventor Dax.
Season 2 of “24 in 24: Last Chef Standing” premieres Sunday, April 27 at 8p on Food Network and streaming the next day on MAX. Hosted by Michael Symon and Esther Choi and shot in real time, 24 chefs will perform 24 challenges over 24 straight hours. |
Today’ Premieres
BET+: Ruthless
Bravo: Top Chef at 9p
BYUtv: Secrets at Red Rock at 8p
Netflix: Adolescence
Peacock: Long Bright River
Prime Video: The Wheel of Time |
| COMING UP |
| “American Masters” spotlights stage and screen icon Liza Minnelli in “LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story,” which premieres April 1 at 9p on PBS. Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips and new interviews with Minnelli, “LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story” takes an intimate look into her life from her complex relationship with her mother to her skyrocketing stardom after her Academy Award-winning role in “Cabaret.” |
 “Like Tears in Rain,” a documentary about the late actor Rutger Hauer (“Blade Runner”) will premiere on streaming service Viaplay today. Director by Hauer’s goddaughter Sanna Fabery de Jonge, the 80-minute feature film documentary uncovers the actor’s more intimate side, featuring interviews with colleagues including Whoopi Goldberg, Vincent D’Onofrio, Mickey Rourke, Miranda Richardson, and Robert Rodriguez. |
 New four-part series “The Future of Nature,” premieres Wednesdays, March 26 – April 16 at 10p. on PBS. Narrated by Uma Thurman, the nature series by Brain Leith Productions takes a look at the role of carbon in our planet and the power of nature in helping to restore and stabilize our ecosystems. The limited series follows climatologists, ecologists, Indigenous leaders and economists to reveal how nature is helping to rebalance Earth’s delicate systems and heal itself. |
| CABLE AND BROADBAND STANDOUTS
Entries Open April 15!
It’s time to recognize the rising stars and standout professionals in cable and broadband! The Cynopsis Standout Awards celebrate entry and mid-level talent making an impact across the industry.
Entries open April 15—don’t miss your chance to nominate!
Learn More |
| TECH REPORT |
| Short-form video is the new go-to medium for tentpole events like the Olympics, according to a new study from MAGNA Media Trials, with 42% of people surveyed saying they use that platform multiple times per day to follow the event, whether live-action or streaming, compared to 35% who followed on TV and 30% who turned to Internet search. The study – “The TikTok Blueprint for Tentpole Success” – explored both TikTok and cross-platform ads around the Paris 2024 Olympics from brands in the retail, finance, and CPG sectors. A variety of ad formats (Topview, Pulse, and Pulse Premiere) and creative types (creator-led ads and re-purposed ads) were tested. According to the study, the shift to TikTok was driven by more frequent use of the platform in general (56%) and the availability of higher-quality content (42%). Athletes and celebrities’ own content on TikTok was the #1 reason audiences engaged, with 44% of participants indicating they were on the platform to follow these personalities. Ad performance was strong on attention (63%), brand favorability/perception (58%), and enjoyment (54%). Creator-led ads also performed better, lifting search intent by +7% and brand differentiation by +11%. “Through Media Trials research we can make sense of what’s happening in the marketplace now and understand shifts overtime. Our strong relationships with media partners and clients allow us to test-and-learn from real content in dynamic ad environments,” said Kara Manatt, EVP, Intelligence Solutions, MAGNA. “This study with TikTok is further proof of how we do that at some of the biggest, most impactful moments for advertisers. With robust viewership and ad spend around tentpole events, this playbook can be a game-changer for media strategy and activation on the platform.”
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that discovery+ will migrate to a modernized in-house tech stack, bringing discovery+ to the same technical platform and infrastructure that powers Max globally. “This is a huge win, not only for our internal teams but also for our subscribers,” said Avi Saxena, CTO, WBD. “We’ve been driving rapid innovation across our platforms, and now, all of our streaming products will benefit from a richer feature set.”
Viamedia has partnered with ad tech company ShowSeeker, making the latter’s Pilot product its primary ad campaign and order management system, for use across an extensive network of more than 100 providers in 75 of the top designated market areas (DMAs) nationwide. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
| Spectrum has signed a multi-year agreement to triple its investment in community sports organizations nationwide by partnering with TeamSnap, the No.1 youth sports management platform with 25 million users. As part of the agreement, Spectrum will sponsor more than 720 youth sports leagues across the country through 2027. |
 TNT Sports and CBS Sports will present the “2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection Show,” featuring the pairings for the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, on CBS – Sunday, March 16, at 6p. The one-hour Selection Show, produced in partnership between CBS Sports and TNT Sports, will be broadcast live from New York. The program begins with the release of the full bracket by region as well as reactions from teams as they find out if they made this year’s field of 68. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
 Hightouch has appointed Lindsay McEwan as General Manager of EMEA. In this role, McEwan will lead Hightouch’s expansion across Europe. An industry veteran with more than two decades experience driving customer engagement strategies at leading technology companies, he most recently held leadership roles at TIBCO and Oracle. He later led the UK expansion of Neolane through its acquisition by Adobe, and spent a decade at Tealium, growing the company’s European market. |
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This Day in History
1930 – Clyde Tombaugh announced the discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which short-lived sitcom centered on two former friends who reunite to host a radio talk show? “Knight & Daye” (1989). Kudos to: Andrew Goldman, Phanes Funding Group/NYC; Tom Moore, Kalt Productions/LA; Susan Nessanbaum- Goldberg, M and S Entertainment/LA
Today’s Trivia Question
This ABC sitcom starred Peggy Cass and Jack Weston as the “parents” of three performing chimpanzees. (Email answers to [email protected] and include your name, company and city. Answers limited to four per time zone.) |
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECT RESPONSE >>
OPPORTUNITY MEDIA/NY(REMOTE/HYBRID): Seeking an energetic achiever with excellent written & organizational skills for role to assist in growing revenue for dynamic Direct Response Team: required: BA Degree, Min 2 yrs DR Experience. Wide Orbit Exp a +. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
DIGITAL MEDIA PLANNER/BUYER >>
BEACON MEDIA GROUP/ LYNDHURST, NJ: Management of paid social media campaigns, strong written & verbal communication skills, knowledge of various targeting methodologies, and basic understanding of traditional media. Familiarity with media planning and buying software. Proficient in website analytics tools. Experience in pixel implementation and conversion tracking. Full info HERE
VICE PRESIDENT BUSINESS AFFAIRS >>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC: Focus on FCC compliance, brand integrity for all current series and day-to-day business affairs for development and production. Strategize with management and outside counsel on business issues, and draft, review and execute various short-form business documents. Legal background and/or related media experience is required. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
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